Fellas; I don't know if you are members of Trout Unlimited or not.....

BUT

I am more than able to get you all the access you want below Cherokee and have TVA pay for it!

Up in Maine I'm sorta famous for my exploits when it comes to Hydro issues ( I have intervened in the re-licensing of a great many dams including what eneded up being the ordered removal of the Edwards Dam in Augusta Maine which National TU takes all the credit for even though I and a few others did all the reall work and paperwork with FERC).

Anyway.... TVA must submit a recreational plan every two years to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It is very possible that I could get you "intervenor status" so that you have a say in what this plan should include on a TAILWATER.

Historically "project owners/operators" only needed to consider "recreational planning on the impoundments & and at the tailwater immediately below a dam if the owned that land. This is why you see boat ramps and facilities below some dams.

THE ARGUMENT that needs to be illustrated is that "operation of the dam, peaking flows and generating flows and minimum flows as well as the times they occur" is considered "a taking" and that the river is no longer enjoyable as a free flowing natural river. THUS TVA should make "rrecreational enhancements throughout the tailwater section to increase the opportunities of the public to use the river below the dam even though the conditions of an un-naturally flowing river do not exist.

I was the first person to win this argument belor FERC up in Maine and boy or boy did the utilities have to include TU and other groups in future "Form 80 recreational planning! And yes I got lots of improvements like boat ramps for drift boats and ccanoe carry in access and parking areas etc.

So gang, it is possible to make a big differenc in the future of the Holston River below Cherokeee.... I can guide you as how to do it if you have the resolve and can raise the funds.... but it can be a lengthy process. It took us 15 years to convince FERC to order an operating dam to be remove4d, first time in history and the Kennebec Chapter became famous for it.

What is your interest? Hugh and any of you who want to learn more give me a call... sometime all you need to do is ask for something and you get other times you need to fight for it (lotsa passionately written paperwork) but you don't know if you don't try and as for me I miss my Kennebec River in Maine especially the 17 miles I liberated from being a putrid impoundment.... so maybe I get to love a new river down here in TN with others who feel the same way.

Richard 865-255-4840 ring me up some time and leave me a message if I cannot answer.